The Basics: Two British comic book nerds, high on life, their deep friendship and geek-focused marketing after attending the San Diego Comic-Con, take an RV and hit the open American road in search of alien-adjacent tourist destinations like Area 51 and Roswell, N.M. Their enthusiasm for space travel and meeting big-headed spacemen takes a shock to the system when they stumble upon a real (wise-cracking, joke-spouting) alien named Paul who crashed to Earth in the 1940s and has been under government watch ever since (a covert operation notably run by Sigourney Weaver, whose entire job here is to play Ripley as a cranky bureaucrat). Together--along with some help from born-again trailer park resident Kristen Wiig--they keep one step ahead of the men in black in an effort to help Paul get back to the Mothership.

What's The Deal: This movie is funny. I want to make that clear. There are more than enough laughs to keep you fairly happy. But... something's wrong. I'm a fan of Frost and Pegg. A big fan. And something feels unformed here. Underdone. Awkward. From any other guys except the ones who brought their A-game with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, this would be a perfectly satisfactory comedy. But there are moments of dead air, nerd-based pop culture jokes that have been told too many times before to feel fresh or surprising, lowest common denominator Christian bashing that's so uninspired it almost makes you feel like defending people who don't believe in evolution, and a fish-out-of-water quality that makes you wish the comedy duo would keep working within the confines of the U.K., a place they understand in the same measure that they seem not to understand the U.S. I'm still a fan. I'll jump at the chance to see what they do next. But this one needed more time in the oven.

Why It's Worth Seeing Anyway: Bill Hader, SNL's current coolest cast member, is underused from start to finish but he gets a laugh every time he's on screen. And Wiig takes the thankless "girl" part, a role that's even more thanklessly written as a stale Jesus-freak caricature, and turns it on its head when, through a mind-meld with Paul, she's transformed into a science savant with a wickedly funny non-gift for stringing together incongruous profanities. I'd provide examples but she's the reason it's rated "R."

Why It Cries Out For A Future DVD Commentary: For someone to explain the true nature of Frost and Pegg's on-screen relationship. Prior to this movie, the level of ultra-affection these two have been shown feeling for one another couldn't reasonably be called gay (but the idiot term "bromance" fit pretty well). Yet in this movie there is a genuine gay jealousy subplot going on. Characters actually call out Frost and ask him if he's in love with Pegg. He denies it and then still keeps behaving like a petulant boyfriend. Later, other characters question him about it. More denial. And finally the movie just drops the whole thing like it never happened. Baffling.

Comments (19)

Gnosh, the door can swing both ways. Its always the other person who is ignorant and fearful right? :) Or are you that short sighted...

Kathy - 3-19-2011 9:06 PM

WORD UP to COMIC CON! CHRISTIANS DO ATTEND YOUR CONVENTIONS AND WE MIGHT EVEN WATCH THIS KNOWING THAT YOU PLAY A SPECIAL ROLE IN THIS MOVIE....WE WILL THINK TWICE ABOUT YOUR INTOLLERANCE or at best your opinion that Christians are idots. SO glad that we got the our money back for attending this diatribe Christian bashing movie. Even the theater manager now thinks he might not ever want to see it himself. You might not beleive in God nor the attributes and intellegence of Christ, at least don't beleive that you beleive in tollerance and diversity. You STOPPED short of that throughout this movie... especially when near the end, Paul is told "God bless you" and he in return says "Ya what ever." In closing I just want to add, Christians should

kathy - 3-19-2011 9:08 PM

Christians shouldn't waist their money on this tribute to atheism and in response to the producers and the writers of this one, I will borrow a line from a movie that truly does pays tribute to diversity, "STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES."

Kathy - 3-19-2011 9:17 PM

Here it is again with spell check:)... See... I went to see PAUL for the laughs... and I left insulted...We shouldn't have paid the money we did for PAUL. We went because we read it was a laugh a minuet...NOT a word from those reviews that we, as Christians would be offended from beginning to end. Well, wait, I have to admit the level of intellect it took to play off the dumbest stereo types of Christianity perhaps needs my prayers ... I wish I, like Paul could touch Nick Frost on the head and give him my 'pearls' of wisdom. But, since Nick only thinks bibles are good for warding off mortal bullets and he played the joke about his weight over and over... well... I am sure Nick never could make sense out of the scripture that tells Christian

Kathy - 3-19-2011 9:18 PM

... tells Christians 'not to throw pearls before swine." WORD UP to COMIC CON! CHRISTIANS DO ATTEND YOUR CONVENTIONS AND WE MIGHT EVEN WATCH THIS KNOWING THAT YOU PLAY A SPECIAL ROLE IN THIS MOVIE....WE WILL THINK TWICE ABOUT YOUR INTOLLERANCE or at best your opinion that Christians are idiots. WE ARE SO glad that we got our money back for attending this diatribe Christian bashing movie. Even the theater manager now thinks he might not ever want to see it himself. You might not believe in God nor the attributes and intelligence of Christ, at least don't believe that you believe in tolerance and diversity. You STOPPED short of that throughout this movie... especially when near the end, Paul is told "God bless you" and he in return says "Ya w

Kathy - 3-19-2011 9:19 PM

..."Ya whatever." In closing I just want to add, Christians shouldn't waist their money on this tribute to atheism and in response to the producers and the writers of this one, I will borrow a line from a movie that truly does pays tribute to diversity, "STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES."

Michele - 3-20-2011 4:18 PM

I like Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and their earlier movies, but if this is a beginning to end Christian bash fest, forget it. It takes away from the humor and would just feel bitter.

Reezy - 3-20-2011 4:57 PM

Oh poor Christians! If you are going to believe something so RIDICULOUS then you are going to take heat and have to defend such pre historic beliefs.

Rob - 3-20-2011 5:42 PM

No guys... its only intolerant if its making fun of gays or muslim beliefs. Huge Pegg and Frost fan... dumping on christians is below their level of genius... might as well be a fart joke.

Daniel - 3-21-2011 7:06 PM

Awesome

Atheism Man - 3-21-2011 8:24 PM

It's not intolerance, it's making fun of the low end of both Christians and humankind in general. It's not like Pegg and Frost were portrayed as particularly smart, just nerdy. Also, EVERYONE gets made fun of ALL the time. Christians, and whoever else gets offended, need to get over thinking they're being targeted when, really, it's all in good fun.

Reezy - 3-22-2011 4:33 AM

This movie was terrible, btw. Other than the christian jokes that is

Tina - 3-25-2011 10:25 PM

This movie was dissapointing and NOT funny. It had actors I like, but the storie was just a series of stereotypes that paled pretty quickly. The script could have been written by a 10 year old. We shouldn't have to pay money to watch this movie. There are funnier videos in you tube and with more imagination. I want a refund.

jfh - 3-27-2011 11:17 PM

Beware people this is another propagdized movie by the far left atheist goonies. I paid for a movie to insult christians .........I want my money back .this was offensive and needs to be boycott. I am sick and tired of crappy movies!!!this was a stupid dumb as can be some parts were funny but not worth the insults. BELIEVE ME I WILL MAKE NOISE OVER THIS IGNORNAT MOVIE!!!IDIOTS WHO MADE THIS MOVIE NOT FOR KIDS !!!

jalizer - 3-29-2011 12:57 PM

its just a movie!! and the movie is rated r duhhh!!!!of course its not for kids. im a christian and didnt get offended by it. its just a movie intended for ENTERTAINMENT.

Vince - 4-01-2011 11:58 AM

Wow, take the crucifix out of your ass for a minute, Kathy. Religion is one of the reasons this world sucks. So thank you for ruining Earth.

Johan - 4-06-2011 1:34 PM

This movie sucked in general. My solution: I got up and left halfway through. Bad enough that I wasted my money on it, I decided to not waste any more time than I already had.

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